Institute of Virology

Peter Reuther & Team

Research Topics

Long-term consequences of respiratory RNA virus infections

Respiratory RNA viruses such as Influenza A viruses (IAV) and SARS-CoV-2 represent a major burden on public health. Besides life-threatening disease progression during the acute phase of viral replication, infection with both IAV and SARS-CoV-2 can have long-term sequelae, which persist or manifest beyond viral clearance (post-viral syndromes). Importantly, the etiology of these post-viral syndromes remains vastly elusive. We are interested in virus-induced transcriptional and epigenetic changes, which persist beyond infection and their impact on post-viral disease.

Entry of bat-borne Influenza A Viruses

Zoonotic transmission of viruses from bat reservoirs to humans poses a constant threat to global health and therefore a better understanding of the biology of bat viruses as well as their zoonotic potential is of utmost importance. Recently, two novel Influenza A virus (IAV) subtypes (H17N10 and H18N11) were identified in New World bats. Unlike classical IAV, these bat-borne viruses use MHC-II molecules as a receptor to enter the host cell. Using high-resolution microscopy and biochemical assays, we study the entry process of H17N10 and H18N11.

Funding

Team

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